No 6438
Wednesday 5 October 2016
Vol cxlvii No 4
pp. 21–36
11 October, Tuesday. Discussion at 2 p.m. in the Senate-House (see below).
16 October, Sunday. Preacher before the University at 11.15 a.m., Professor T. Beattie, Professor of Catholic Studies and Director of the Digby Stuart Research Centre at the University of Roehampton.
20 October, Thursday. End of first quarter of Michaelmas Term.
22 October, Saturday. Congregation of the Regent House at 11 a.m.
|
Discussions (at 2 p.m.) |
Congregations |
|
11 October |
22 October, Saturdayat 11 a.m. |
|
25 October |
26 November, Saturday at 2 p.m. |
|
8 November |
|
|
22 November |
|
|
6 December |
The Vice-Chancellor invites those qualified under the regulations for Discussions (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 103) to attend a Discussion in the Senate-House on Tuesday, 11 October 2016, at 2 p.m. for the discussion of:
1. Twenty-first Report of the Board of Scrutiny, dated 21 June 2016 (Reporter, 6433, 2015–16, p. 776).
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice that an election is to be held of eight persons to serve as members of the Council for four years from 1 January 2017. Members are to be elected in the following classes under Statute A IV 2:
(a)two from among the Heads of Colleges;
(b)two from among the Professors and Readers;
(c)four from among the other members of the Regent House.
The Council is the principal executive and policy-making body of the University. It has general responsibility for the administration of the University, for defining its mission, for the planning of its work, and for the management of its resources. The Council deals with relations between the University and the Colleges, and conducts negotiations with outside bodies on many matters (other than those relating directly to the educational and research programmes of the University, which are dealt with on its behalf by the General Board of the Faculties). It is responsible for the appointment or nomination of certain members of internal and external bodies, and for many student matters (excluding the selection of entrants, which is a College concern). Further information about the Council is available to members of the University on the Council website (https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/). Questions about its work can be addressed to the Registrary by emailing registrary@admin.cam.ac.uk.
Council membership offers a particularly rewarding and demanding experience. The University is both an exempt charity,1 and a corporation established by common law. As such, Council members are both charity trustees of the University and, effectively, its corporate directors. They have associated legal responsibilities and duties, and are required to promote the interests of the University and act with integrity, care, and prudence.
It is strongly recommended that those considering standing for nomination review the Handbook for Members of the Council, which sets out the Council’s primary responsibilities. Section 4 of the Handbook provides advice and guidance to members of Council on their legal and other responsibilities. The Handbook is available to members of the University to download from the bottom of the Council web page at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/committees/council/handbook-2016/. Potential nominees might also wish to familiarize themselves with the key aspects of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/), the most recent Budget and Allocations Report (Reporter, 6426, 2015–16, p. 525), and the Annual Report and Financial Statements (Reporter, 6408, 2015–16, p. 226).
Further useful information is provided by HEFCE (http://www.hefce.ac.uk/reg/charityreg/), and the Charity Commission (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-essential-trustee-what-you-need-to-know-cc3). This information includes details of the extent of a charity trustee’s personal liability. Instances of personal liability are rare and unlikely to occur, providing trustees act honestly, prudently, in good faith, and in the best interests of the University, and in compliance with legislation and the University’s governing documents. Nonetheless, it is important for nominees to recognize and accept the obligations that Council membership would confer upon them.
The Vice-Chancellor gives notice of an election to fill two casual vacancies on the Board of Scrutiny. Members are to be elected in the following classes under Statute A VII:
• one member in class (c)(i) (a person who has been a member of the Regent House for not more than ten years on 1 October 2017), to serve with immediate effect until 30 September 2019;
• one member in class (c)(ii) (a member of the Regent House), to serve with immediate effect until 30 September 2017.
The Board of Scrutiny consists of:
(a)the Proctors;
(b)the two Pro-Proctors nominated by the Colleges;
(c)eight members of the Regent House elected by the Regent House.
Under the provisions of Statute A VII 4, no person may be a member of the Board of Scrutiny who is a member of the Council, the General Board, or the Finance Committee of the Council, or who holds any of the University offices of Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University Advocate, Deputy University Advocate, Registrary, Assistant Registrary, or Secretary of a School. The Statute further prohibits from membership holders of offices with primarily administrative duties designated by Ordinance: Directors and Deputy Directors in the Unified Administrative Service and Assistant Treasurers have been designated as such prohibited offices. A retiring member of the Board who has served for four or more consecutive years is not eligible to serve again as a member in class (c) until one year has elapsed after the end of her or his previous period of service.
If no nominations are received in either case in accordance with the timetable below, the Council shall be asked whether it wishes to appoint a member to any vacant place or for another election to be held, in accordance with Regulation 3 of the regulations for the election of members of the Board (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 112).
Further information about the Board of Scrutiny can be found in the Statutes and Ordinances as noted above, on the Board’s website (http://www.scrutiny.cam.ac.uk/), and obtained from Dr Lydia Drumright (email lnd23@cam.ac.uk), Chair of the Board.
The nomination procedure and election timetable for the elections to the Council and the Board of Scrutiny is as follows.
In order to be eligible, a candidate for election in each case must be nominated on a paper sent to the Vice-Chancellor at the Old Schools so as to be received not later than 12 noon on Friday, 18 November 2016. The nomination paper must contain (a) a statement signed by two members of the Regent House, nominating the candidate for election and specifying the class in which he or she is nominated, and (b) a statement signed by the candidate certifying that he or she consents to be so nominated. Forms to facilitate the nomination process are available on the governance website (see https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/ballots/rh/Pages/Nomination-forms.aspx). The candidate is also required to provide a statement of her or his curriculum vitae by the same date (see below). No one may be nominated for election in more than one class. The Council has agreed to make known its view that two periods of four years should normally be regarded as the maximum length of continuous service for elected members.
The Vice-Chancellor would be obliged if nominations could be delivered to the Registrary in the Old Schools during office hours. Nominations will be published on the Senate-House Noticeboard as they are received; the complete list of nominations will be published in the Reporter on Wednesday, 23 November 2016.
In accordance with the regulations governing the election (Statutes and Ordinances, p. 110), each person nominated for election is required to send to the Registrary, not later than 12 noon on Friday, 18 November 2016, a statement of her or his curriculum vitae for distribution to members of the Regent House with the voting papers. It is suggested that such a statement should be of not more than 500 words in length, and that it should cover the following points:
•the candidate’s present position in the University;
•previous posts held, whether in Cambridge or in other universities or outside the university system, with dates;
•a note of the candidate’s particular interests within the field of University business.
The election will be conducted by ballot under the Single Transferable Vote regulations. Online voting will open at 10 a.m. on Monday, 28 November 2016 and close at 5 p.m. on Thursday, 8 December 2016. Hard-copy voting papers and supporting materials will be distributed not later than Monday, 28 November 2016 to those who opted by 3 November 2016 to vote on paper; the last date for the return of voting papers will be 5 p.m. on Thursday, 8 December 2016.
1The University has charitable status but is exempt from the statutory requirement which otherwise obliges a charity to register with the Charity Commission. HEFCE is the principal regulator of the University as regards its compliance with its legal obligations in exercising control and management of its administration as a charity.
The Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has proposed a pay settlement from 1 August 2016. The settlement provides for a 1.1% increase in the salaries of non-clinical staff on all spine points, except spine points 11 to 19 where the increases will be as follows:
|
Points 11 to 14: |
3.1% increase |
|
Points 15 and 16: |
2.7% increase |
|
Point 17: |
2.2% increase |
|
Point 18: |
1.7% increase |
|
Point 19: |
1.6% increase |
The settlement also provides for the removal of the lowest point on New Joint Negotiating Committee for Higher Education Staff (New JNCHES) single pay spine. Accordingly point 13 will be removed from grade 1 from 1 August 2016.
It should be noted that the New JNCHES trade unions remain in dispute over the offer. However, the Universities and Colleges Employers Association (UCEA) has confirmed that the formal dispute resolution procedure set out in the New JNCHES agreement has been exhausted and has therefore advised that implementation of the pay settlement may proceed.
Pending the outcome of further discussions at national level, the Council and the General Board have agreed that increases on the basis set out above should be made in all relevant stipends and salaries with effect from 1 August 2016.
The stipends and salaries of certain University staff require the approval of the Regent House. The Council is accordingly submitting a Grace (Grace 1, p. 31) to the Regent House for the approval of an increase of 1.1% to 3.1% (as specified above) in these stipends and salaries. An updated Cambridge general stipend and salary scale showing the proposed new stipends and salaries for each grade is included in the Schedule to this Notice. This indicates those points which are the 50 points of the national single spine and those points, above and below, which are extensions to the spine in Cambridge. Changes will also be applied to those associated payments directly linked to a single spine stipend/salary point.
Subject to the approval of this Grace, the corresponding increases will be implemented in the stipends of those offices which do not require the approval of the University as well as in the salaries of analogous unestablished staff. In the case of contract research staff and other staff supported on non-central funds, payment of the increase will be conditional on funds being available to meet the cost of the increase from the relevant funding source.
It is expected that, if the Grace is approved, the increases will be paid to staff in the November 2016 payroll.
Note 1: An asterisk (*) denotes a contribution point and progress through these is awarded on merit.
Note 2: Grade T is for staff who are studying for an approved qualification or undergoing ‘in-service’ training. Points 1–10 of grade T are no longer in use.
Note 3: On 1 January 2010 the first contribution points of grades 2, 3, and 4 became service points.
Note 4: University Lecturers (ULs) and University Senior Lecturers (USLs) will be appointed to grades 9 and 10 respectively.
ULs may progress through service points 1–9 of grade 9.
USLs may progress through service points 1–3 and contribution points 4–5 of grade 10.
Readers will only be appointed to point 2 in grade 11 (point 63).
Research Associates and Senior Research Associates will be appointed to grades 7 and 9 respectively.
Research Assistants are appointed to grade 5.
The contribution points in grades 9 and 11 do not apply to ULs and Readers. They apply to academic-related staff.
The professorial minimum will be point 68 in band 1 of grade 12.
Note 5: For academic staff (other than Professors and USLs) contribution will be recognized through the promotions procedure as now and not by use of contribution points.
USLs will also have access to the Senior Academic Promotions procedure under which they may also be awarded contribution points 4–5 in grade 10.
Note 6: Academic-related professorial-equivalent staff will be appointed on the contribution bands of grade 12 according to the HERA points boundaries for each level.
Note 7: Specific arrangements will apply to progression in service-related points on some grades in compliance with the Memorandum of Understanding.
Note 8: Incremental progression through the service related points occurs on the incremental date which will normally be on the anniversary of appointment or 1 April, 1 July, or 1 October respectively for staff engaged on terms and conditions for Manual, Clerical/Secretarial, and Technical Division appointments.
Note 9: Direct employees of the University appointed to grade 1 will not be paid below spine point 17, with effect from 1 November 2015.
Note 10: Points 32 and 50 were aligned to the National Single Pay Spine for Higher Education Academic and Support Staff, as negotiated by the Universities and Colleges Employers Association on behalf of UK higher education employers, with effect from 1 January 2014.
Note 11: On 1 January 2015 the first contribution points of grades 1, 5, and 6 became service points.
Note 12: Spine point 13 was removed from the National Spine and the University’s grade 1 with effect from 1 August 2016.
The draft Roll of the Regent House for the academical year 2016–17 (i.e. the list of names which it is proposed to place on the Roll when it is promulgated in November) was published in the Reporter, Special No. 1, on 1 October 2016 (see http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter/2016-17/special/01/).
Members of the Regent House are asked to check the list and to make sure that their entries are correct. They should note that the Roll constitutes the list of eligible voters for any elections to the Council or ballots that may be called during the following academical year. Notice of any corrections or amendments should be sent in writing to the Registrary at the Old Schools (email: roll.enquiries@admin.cam.ac.uk) as soon as possible; any corrections received by Monday, 24 October 2016 will be incorporated in the definitive Roll, which is to be promulgated on 5 November 2016.
Members of the Regent House are reminded that online voting is the default voting method in ballots of the Regent House. On the occasion of a ballot, those on the Roll of the Regent House (see above) will receive an email alert shortly after voting opens.
If members wish to receive, or to continue to receive, hardcopy voting papers and supporting materials, they should submit a request to opt out of online voting by 5 p.m. on Thursday, 3 November 2016. Members already receiving hardcopy voting papers have been contacted to ask whether they wish to continue to opt out of online voting. New requests to receive hardcopy voting materials should be sent to ballots@admin.cam.ac.uk or to the University Draftsman, in the Old Schools, and include confirmation of the voter’s CRSid and the College or Departmental postal address to which voting materials should be sent. Requests to opt out received by 3 November 2016 will be effective until the promulgation of the Roll in November 2017. Further information on ballots of the Regent House is available on the University governance website at https://www.governance.cam.ac.uk/ballots/rh/.
The 2016 edition of the University’s Statutes and Ordinances has now been published online at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/so/ and hard copies have been sent out by Reprographics to the members of the University who ordered them.
Users of CamTools will be aware that the University is in the process of transitioning to the use of the teaching and learning platform Moodle. The Information Services Committee gives notice that the CamTools system will be taken offline from 30 September 2017. Active support for CamTools, including helpdesk, training, and development services, will cease from 1 October 2016, but CamTools online resources will continue to be available at http://www.camtools.admin.cam.ac.uk/ until 30 September 2017.
Moodle is only one of the possible services that UIS offers to replace activities formerly supported by the CamTools system. CamTools users should contact their local Computer Officer in the first instance regarding options for their institution/office. For a full directory of additional alternative services, please see the University IT Service Catalogue at http://www.itservices.cam.ac.uk/.
Further information on Moodle is available at http://www.student-systems.admin.cam.ac.uk/moodle.
The examination results statistics publication for 2016 is now available on the Student Statistics Office website at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/planning/sso/examinations/.
The lecture-list for 2016–17 is available at https://www.timetable.cam.ac.uk. Queries regarding lecture-lists and their availability should be directed to the Department concerned.
The Cambridge University Reporter is published weekly, usually on Wednesdays, during the Term. Special issues, including the preliminary and promulgated Rolls of the Regent House, the list of University officers, members of the Faculties, Fellows of the Colleges, and members of University bodies (committees, boards, syndicates, etc.) are also published during the academical year.
Notices for publication in the Reporter should be sent, preferably by email (reporter.editor@admin.cam.ac.uk), to the Editor, Cambridge University Reporter, The Old Schools, Cambridge, CB2 1TN (tel. 01223 332305). Items for publication should be sent as early as possible in the week before publication; short notices will be accepted up to 4 p.m. on Friday for publication the following Wednesday. Inclusion is at the discretion of the Editor.
An email alert notifying subscribers when each week’s edition of the Reporter goes online, is now available. This email alert contains web links to individual sections of the issue – so readers can identify and select areas which are of interest to them – as well as a link to the pdf version. Those wishing to subscribe should go to the Reporter home page (http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/reporter) and click on the blue ‘Join the mailing list’ button. Queries regarding email subscriptions should be sent to reporter.editor@admin.cam.ac.uk.
Certain material published in the Reporter will be restricted to those with access to the University of Cambridge network (i.e. the Cam domain) and holders of Raven accounts. Separate pdf versions are provided as appropriate.
The UAS Bulletin, a monthly e-newsletter featuring a round-up of news and activities from the Unified Administrative Service and central offices, as well as key issues and policies from within the higher education sector, is now subscription only. A link to sign up to the bulletin, which is available to all members of the University, can be found on the right-hand side of the University staff webpages.
The University Combination Room is open for the use of current members and retired members formerly on the Roll of the Regent House. Visiting academics may also be issued with access cards on nomination by their College or Department. The Combination Room will be open from Monday to Friday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., unless notified otherwise in the Reporter.
Details of how to gain access to the University Combination Room can be found at http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/combinationroom/.
An online resource on the governance of the University is available at http://www.governance.cam.ac.uk (log in via Raven to access restricted content). With detailed information on the University’s governance structure, decision-making bodies, processes, and instruments of governance, the site is designed to help University members understand and engage with the governance processes of the University.
The site also contains papers, core documents, and membership information for the following committees: the University Council, the Business Committee of the University Council, the Audit Committee, the General Board, the Finance Committee, the Resource Management Committee, and the Planning and Resources Committee. Further University committees will be added in due course.
Comments and queries about the site, including from University committee secretaries interested in joining it, should be sent to the Reporter team via the governance email address: governance@admin.cam.ac.uk.